Arts and Creativity

Inverclyde is known locally and globally as a Creative Place. Creativity is vibrant, visible and a significant source of pride for local people. The arts are a core driver for regeneration and contribute positively towards a sustainable increase in local economy and employment, underpinned by the work of every sector within the local authority.

Creativity is a critical tool for imagining and communicating a unique and innovative identity for the area. This identity makes meaningful connections between the rich heritage, environmental and social assets of the area. Everyone in Inverclyde has equal access to the arts.

The arts are inclusive, and people are empowered and confident in engaging creatively with the present and future of their local community. The arts are respected as a vehicle for achieving positive wellbeing for local people and local places, in terms of health, education and stewardship of the environment.

Inverclyde’s strong focus on arts, culture and heritage in recent years can be traced back to our three-year Place Partnership in 2014-2017, which was led by a management consortium of local arts stakeholders.  At the end of this period an Inverclyde Arts & Creativity Strategy (2017) was commissioned and published by the Inverclyde Place Partnership.

At the same time Inverclyde Council was working towards an Outcomes Improvement Plan for 2017-22, and as culture was recognised as being an important local focus it became one of the three priorities in the Outcomes Improvement Plan. Each of these three priorities had a delivery group, and the Inverclyde Cultural Partnership (ICP) was the delivery group that took forward arts and culture in Inverclyde. The ICP is made up of members invited from a variety of arts, heritage and communities of interest and have a remit to take forward all aspects of cultural activity.

The Arts Sub-Group – is an open forum made up of local arts organisations and creatives, facilitated by an Arts Co-ordinator (Inverclyde Creative Producer), that oversees Inverclyde’s Arts & Creativity Strategy (2017). Across 2020 this group has collaborated to create an Inverclyde Arts Action Plan (2021-2023) – priorities that set out ways of improving outcomes for the Cultural landscape of Inverclyde. Partnership, community, and a collective approach to Culture are at the heart of these actions. This action plan also shaped our application to Culture Collective.

At the end of Inverclyde Culture Collective funding (Sept 2023) – the Arts Sub-Group and Inverclyde Creative Producer took what they had learned over the period of project activity to devise a new Inverclyde Arts Action Plan (2024-2029) which is forward-thinking and aspirational.

At present in 2025 – the following Research & Evaluation documents have been published by Inverclyde Culture Collective and local partners:

  1. Inverclyde Arts & Creativity Action Plan (2024-2029)
  2. Evaluation of the Inverclyde Culture Collective First 18 months of activity (April 2021 – September 2022)
  3. Evaluation of the Inverclyde Culture Collective Final year of activity (September 2022 – August 2023
  4. Inverclyde Arts & Creativity – Where are we now? (SWOT Analysis)
  5. Creative Research – Health & Social Care
  6. Outdoor Arts Feasibility - Artist Residency Consultation (2023)

These files are available in the Documents section of this webpage.